Immortal Part I: Shadows of Guilt
by Chunkyzar
Summary: As Voldemort begins his second rise to power, the eyes of the world are fixed on England. One man, a survivor of the First War, sends an operative to aid the child of prophecy. AU, end 2cnd/3rd year, Ginny centric
1. Prologue: Ghosts of a memory

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything from the Universe created by J.K.R. I merely enjoy playing with her characters. I do not and will not make money with it for the simpel reason that I cannot afford to mess with J.K.R.'s lawyers._

_**A/N: **Hello and welcome to the first part of the 'Immortal' Series, 'Shadows of Guilt'. There will be five parts, one for each year. I tried to built it into canon as much as possible – thanks to J.K. Rowling and her holey writing style that allows me to sneak this in without too much disturbance. I guess I'll have to go slightly AU in Year Four and Five and after that totally AU. Now, if you expect a super happy-fluffy lovestory with all pixie-land in the end – stop reading RIGHT here. I don't write crap like that. Pixie-land is for little girls and penguins. There WILL be a not so little amount of romance to it, but the story isn't about that. It's about war, and what it does to people – no matter which side they have taken – and their loved ones. For the pairing, this will be Harry/Tonks. Why? Because you have only a handful of storys that feature a good version of this pairing. Doesn't matter now anyway, since 'Shadows of Guilt' [that's what you are reading now] plays directly after the Chamber of Secrets incident and therefore, the characters are simply too young. I will NOT start with things like that before fourth year. _

_'Shadows of Guilt' is basicly a drama, not my strongest side, but will give my best, so please bear with me. It will by nature focus strongly on something that we DONT know about: Ginnys reaction to beeing posessed and used as puppet by Tommy Boy. Also, this story will feature a lot of Ocs. Only one of them plays a major role, you will recognise which one. The others are support cast to build the stage I want. We all know what Harry did during his third year. No changes there. The next part of the series – which doesn't even have a working title yet – will be a bit more action. And a lot more Harry. Rest assured – He WILL be the hero. The hero of heroes in fact. But this will be more like LotR – many heroes from many nations gather around the future King of Kings. I can't tell you anything more, that would be telling. So, to make a long story short: If you like tales of drama, romance and war, then 'Immortal' will be exactly what you are looking for._

**Shadows of Guilt**

**Prologue – Ghosts of a Memory**

Ginny Weasley slowly came back to consciousness. She was exhausted and confused and every muscle and nerve in her body seemed to ache abominably. Cruel laughter and shouts still rang in her ears and something sticky covered her right arm. She still clutched the hilt of her shattered wand in her tiny fist. But finally, the shadow that hovered over her soul for the last year was gone. She could finally think freely and remember – oh yes, she remembered everything. The humiliation, the pain, the horrid deeds she had done... she whimpered and rolled into a protective ball on the cold, slimey floor. Why had he done that to her? He was her best friend in the world! How could he force her to open her soul for him, to let him inside her? Tears ran freely down her cheaks. Why had she given in? Afterall, she had done all that. She had not fought him hard enough, no, she had given in. He had laughed at her futile atempts to fight his increasing influence on her mind and body. The youngest Weasley had felt the shadow seeping into her mind, yet she had not asked for help, mostly out of fear. But what good did it do her? Harry and his friend knew everything. They had seen her, when she opened the Chamber one last time, for her life to be sacrificed to Tom Marvolo Riddle. She let out an anguished whimper as the memory flooded back into her mind...

_The basilisc writhed and twitched as the Sword of Gryffindor broke through its skull and plunged into it's brain. A sharp cry of pain from the boy who wielded it. Blood stained to floor and the few pillars that remained after the fierce fight and mixed with the green slime on the floor and the dripping water from the ceiling._

_A tall boy stood defiantly in front of the dying Monster of Slytherin, the Sword of Gryffindor still tightly clutched in his right. His short black hair was ruffled and stood at an odd angle from his head, as he pulled the large, venom dripping fang from his right arm. _

„_It's over Tom. You will not get her." he stated quietly. The boys green eyes flickered strangely in the light as he slowly sank against a nearby pillar. The other stepped before him, wand raised in a defensive stance with worry and defiance shining in his midnight blue eyes. The cruel laughter of Tom Riddle rang through the chamber and clashed with the mourning song of the big red bird circling the ceiling. _

„_OVER? OVER? It has not even STARTED! Soon, you will die, and she will follow suit! Then I will live and YOU will rot in this chamber forever!" shouted the ghostly image of a young, handsome man. The taller boy answered this with a sad smile. Tearing his gaze from his collapsed comrade he turned toward the looming specter. _

„_Maybe we will die. But she will not!" he shouted defiantly and charged forward, reddish and black lights shooting forth from his wand toward their tormentor. They passed harmlessly through him and once again he reared his head in cruel laughter. He came skidding to a halt next to the still form of Ginevra Molly Weasley at the feet of the giant statue of Salazar Slytherin, falling to his knees in the process. A soft smile tugged on his lips as he gently pulled away the small black book clutched to the girls chest. _

„_Don't worry Ginevra. You shall be free soon. Harry!" As gentle as the words were, the name came out as a defiant shout and the book sailed through the air toward the collpased form near the pillars. A feral, if weak grin tugged at his lips as the boy named Harry raised the basilisc fang over his head and plunged it into the cursed diary with all his might. The image of the young man once known as Tom Riddle wavered and __disapeared while ink oozed out of the now destroyed diary. Both boys sighed in relief and the red and golden bird thrilled in triumph as he landed next to Harry. Silvery tears dripped into the festering wound into his arm as the bird cried for their sacrifice and Harry slipped into unconsciousness._

_Suddenly, the girls eyes snapped open. But they were not their usual warm chocolate brown. They were of a deep pitch black, a black so dark, every bit of white in her eyes seemed to be gone. Her small body whirled around on the floor and landed a kick against the other boys throat, throwing him to the floor._

„_Oh no, can't make it that easy, can I?" taunted the little girl, as she got gracefully to her feet. Both fighters watched in disbelieve as she drew her wand from her pocket and aimed it right at the boy before her. An evil smirk warped her innocent face into a cruel mask. _

„_Did you really think I would let you do that? I am Lord Voldemort! I can't be stopped by a pair of pathetic school children!" she stated arrogantly. „Now, what am I to do with you?" she circled him like predator would do with his prey, knowing he could not escape. „It would be merciful to just put you out of your misery," she jabbed her wand at him and a sickly-green light flew at him and crashed in the floor inches from his head. „But after all the trouble you gave me, I think I should have some fun first, shall I? CRUICIO!" _

_The boy on the floor curled into a ball and gritted his teeth as the incredible pain of the torture-curse washed over him. Then, there was a bright flash of light, and a soothing song filled the air. The boys features evened as the phoenix landet next to his head while crying silvery tears. The little girl cursed violently and fired a spell at the big bird that impacted on a multicolored dome around the phoenix. _

„_That blasted bird! Phoenix tears! I should have remembered. Oh well. More fun for me, don't you think?" the little girl stated with an evil grin. The phoenix took air again and vanished with a bright flash of flame. The boy got slowly to his feat, horror in his face as he raised his wand. „Let her go, Tom! This is between you and me, leave her out of this!" he shouted._

„_Oh, you misunderstand the situation," answered Voldemort with the little girls voice. „She has everything to do with it. You are just a mere nuisance, a little pebble on my road to greatness! AVADA KEDAVRA!" _

_The boy spun out of the way of the killing curse and dived behind a pillar. „Oh come on, my boy! You are a bit old to play hide and seek!" With a wave of her wand, the pillar collapsed and the boy scrambled out of the way of the falling debris. „Ginny, I am sorry!" he shouted and shot a weak reductor-curse right at her chest. The little girl was thrown back a few feet by the force of the spell, but rolled expertly back to her feet. „Ah yes, the weak heart of the light! You don't want to hurt her, do you? Well, I shall give you no choice! AVADA-" her spell was interupted as a bubble formed around her head and stopped her from speaking. Waving her wand angrily, she dissoveled the bubble and shot a purple curse at the boy, who barely managed to block it with a light blue shield charm. She laughed and launched a barrage of dark curses at her enemy. He dove behind another pillar to catch his breath. The sweet voice of Ginny Weasley floated through the chamber. „Come out come out, wherever you are..." she chanted and shot a reductor curse at the pillar. „Come out and I shall grant you a quick death! You cannot win this duell! Either I kill you or you kill the girl! If you die, she will follow soon and I will be free! If you kill her, I will be free and kill you! Come now, listen to reason! This doesn't have to be so hard on you! I will even make you an offer: Join me! Be the first of my followers in the new dawning age! Be my right hand and I shall grant you all you could ever wish for! I could even think about letting this little girl live. You could have her. She would make an adequate toy, once she gets older, don't you think?" _

„_I will NEVER join you, you monster!" he cried angrily and stepped out of his cover. He fired a stinging hex at her hand and charged forward, shooting hexes all the way. The little girl grinned while she lazily blocked the hexes flying her way. Then a look of concentration dawned on her face as if trying to figure out a difficult puzzle. She screamed angrily and whirled around, aiming her wand at the ghostly image that had apeared above the small black book that lay forgotten at the foot of the statue._

_An image of a little girl with vibrant red hair and chocolate brown eyes. Ghostly tears ran down her pale cheaks, but her jaw was clenched in silent resolve. „Don't worry about me! Destroy that monster! Please! Do it!" she shrieked desparetly and jumped at her living counterpart. The boy had stopped dead in his tracks as she appeared, but now charged forward again, while the little girl tried to fight off the ghost of herself. With a resounding smack, his fist crashed against her jaw and threw her backwards to the ground. A well aimed kick splintered her wand into a dozen pieces and an eerie wail could be heard as the little girl moaned in pain. The ghostly image collapsed upon her body, making the wail even louder as Tom Riddle was forced from his host by it's original owner and the little girl was overcome by darkness once again._

Ginny shook violently on the floor as the memorys passed her mind. She was scared and cold and confused and yet she was not sure what had happened after she managed to reclaim her body. She didn't dare to open her eyes for fear that Tom would be there, laughing at her weakness. She heard heavy steps coming closer, and she whimpered quietly and rolled tighter into the feutal position. A warm hand stroked softly over her hair and she felt herself encircled by a pair of strong arms.

„Ginny? Ginny are you allright?" asked a soft male voice very close to her ear. She whimpered and tried to roll into a ball again, but whoever had caught her didn't let go and quietly murmured soothing words in her ear while softly stroking her back. She relaxed a bit as she remembered the voice. Though it was rough and weak now, it was the voice of the boy that safed her. Ginny tentativly opened her eyes and saw nothing but blackeness. She started to panic, but the soft voice and the gentle touch of his hands on her back calmed her down enough to realize that she was sitting on his lap, her head resting on his chest, and she was looking at his robes. She pulled back a little to look at his face.

Midnight blue eyes met chocolate brown for a moment. He smiled softly at her and asked again. „Are you allright?" She hastily shook her head and pressed her head against his chest again. It didn't matter _who _he was. The important thing was that he was _here _now, that he held her and offered a shoulder to cry on. Tears ran down her cheeks freely as she stopped holding back the sobbs that shook her body. He held her murmured soothing words until she calmed down enough to remember her confusion.

„Who are you?" she asked in a wavering voice. „I have never seen you before. How do you know me?"

„I'm Til. And I know you because we are going to the same school. You are sort of hard to miss." he answered, a slight grin in his voice. She sniffed lightly at his attempted joke and looked back to his face. She tried for a watery smile and said „Th-thank you, I guess..." she started, but was interrupted by Til.

„There is no need to thank me, Ginny. I know what you've been through this year. No one deserves that. I just did what everyone would have done." Ginny winced at his words and looked away. He knew what she had done. Everything. Now he would hate her, like everyone else. How could she face her parents ever again after what she had done? Or her brothers? She was brought out of her musings by a strong hand under her chin, forcing her look Til in the face again.

„I know that look. And I don't want to see it on you. Always remember Ginny," he said, taking her face in both of his hands. „You are not responsible for what he made you do! He tricked you, and by the time you could have done anything, it was too late. He tricked far older and wiser people than you or me, but few have survived to tell the tale. No one will blame you, Ginny, they know you would never have done such a thing!" She closed her eyes, unable to face these clear midnight blue eyes. „I am so sorry," she whispered through her tears, „I was weak, I allowed him to do all these things..."

„No Ginny, you were not weak. In fact, you were anything but. You fought him of for a whole year. You even safed my life before, when I was duelling with Tom. I would never have beaten him, if you hadn't helped me, Ginny. Never forget that. You are strong, stronger than most people in the wizarding world."

„But..." she began, but was imediatly interrupted. „No buts, Ginevra." His voice was soft, but firm, end she started to believe him. She really did fight him, but she still wasn't convinced that no one would blame her for it. She sniffed again and shook her head, trying to clear her mind. There was something she had wanted to ask, but it escaped her before she could grasp it.

Suddenly it hit her. She remembered. Harry! Where was Harry? Was he allright? Did he die? Did she _kill_ him? Panic welled up in her as she frantically tried to look around. A soft hand of her shoulder made her turn around fast enough that she feared for her neck. Emerald green eyes stared at her with concern. She immeadiatly launched herself at him and started mumbling appologies into his chest. When had finally composed enough to let go, she scooted away from her two rescuers to a more aporpriate distance. Two sets of eyes, once green, one blue concernedly followed her every move.

Harry smiled tentatively at her and held out his hand.

"Common Ginny. Your family must be worried sick by now. Lets not make them wait any longer. Plus, you need to get checked by Madam Pomfrey. Just to be sure," he said. Ginny gave a treary smile in response, but grabbed his hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. Til stood as well, and together the three made their way through the towards the rockslide.

"There is... one more thing," Til cautioned and came to a stop at the door into the chamber itself, just short of the cave-in. "You cannot mention my beeing here. Not a word. To no one. That ... could be bad, you know? Just... just say it was all you, thats what they want to hear, right?" he asked, while smirking slyly at Harry.

"But what about you? How will you get out of here without Ron seeing you?" Harry asked.

Another smirk. "Simple." A wave of his wand and a shimmering later, he was nearly invisible, only a faint outline remained. "Just dont tell anyone I did that... or that I was here at all. Now go, I'll be right behind you!"

Harry and Ginny stared incredulously at the place their comrade had vanished from. Harry shook himself out of his stupor and gently tugged on Ginnys hand, who latched onto it like a drowning woman to her life buoy.

He smiled gently and gave another tug. "Lets just get out of here." he urged and together they made their way carefully toward the rock-slide, where Ron had finally managed to break through.

**A/N:** _Altered the scene to fit in better with the rest of the planned out universe. Yes thats what I have been doing. That and smoking enough cigarettes to kill most of you._

_-Chunky_


	2. Interlude: A meeting

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything from the Universe created by J.K.R. I merely enjoy playing with her characters. I do not and will not make money with it for the simpel reason that I cannot afford to mess with J.K.R.'s lawyers._

**Interlude – A meeting**

An old man with a long white beard and equally long hair stood proud and tall in front of the Triad. His light green robes and the gnarled cane he leaned upon only underlined the picture of age and wisdom. A proud smile tucked on his lips as he gave his report.

"He made it. Both children are safe and the phylacterium is destroyed." he stated with a strong, almost comicaly fake sounding asian accent. "However, he broke the protocol. The girl knows. He claims she has... potential." slight lines of concern etched themselves all over his suntanned face.

The man known as 'Pathfinder', the inofficial voice of the Triad, leaned forward. "Was it not _your_ duty to ensure he would follow the orders? Was it not_ your _responsibility to make him understand the importance of secrecy?"

His cool, precise voice echoed through the stone hall. No one who hadn't spend many years listening to it and applied the patience normally common to the very stones of this hall would be able to hear the slight undertone of anger in the otherwise precisely formed, monotoniously spoken words.

"Ah, that may be so," answered the first man with a slight patronizing tone. "But he is but a child. To expect of him to accept our convictions over his own would be unwise. After all – was it not this very character trait of his that made you see his potential?" He met the eyes of the three persons before him. They were the greatest and best at what they did. There was simply no other way to survive as long as they did. And yet, their age also prevented them to see into the fiery heart of youth, to understand why they were not abled to see the wisdom of older and more experienced men and women. Seeing them suffeciently chastised – he was their senior by many years, after all - he dropped the topic of his young charge.

"The girl is no danger to us or the mission. She is in fact unlikely to survive the next year." he finished with a sad shake of his head.

The only woman in the Triad, 'Exodus', looked at him startled at this statement.

"What can be done?" she asked in concern. She was the youngest of them, after all, barely a century old. The third man answered this. He was known for his conservativ views and was not all that popular with the newest generation of operatives. His call sign 'Ancient' was well deserved.

"Nothing. We are _not_ their babysitters. If they cannot deal with this themselves, they deserve to suffer the consequences!"

'Pathfinder' voiced his agreement, and the woman sighed unhappily but nodded her acceptance. The words, while cruel, could not have been more true.

"Then it is settled," began 'Pathfinder' and drew their attention again towards him. "The Immortal will remain were he is. The fate of the girl is unfortunate, but unavoidable. He is to focus his attention on the Chosen Child! Our affords will be fruitless should he succumb to darkness. He must be protected at all costs!"

The old man in the green robes bowed his head and moved his left fist to his chest in salut.

**AN:** This is just something to confuse you a bit and keep you happy until I managed to sort out a fatal planning error in my work. It would seem I fell into the same trap every author does at least once: Focusing too much on ones own creation. Since I know that most of you just HATE Ginny - see profil for my words of wisdom - I am working to incorperate the others more than I had before.

As for the accent of the old man in the green robes: Watch the OLD turtles movies, Master Splinter.

Oh and this is NOT my average chapter size. You can expect something between 3000 und 5000 words for the next update. It'll be up on Monday at the latest, promise.

--Chunky


	3. Chapter 1: Road to Nowhere

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything from the Universe created by J.K.R. I merely enjoy playing with her characters. I do not and will not make money with it for the simpel reason that I cannot afford to mess with J.K.R.'s lawyers._

**Chapter 1 – Road to Nowhere **

Ginny sat trembling and crying on her mothers lap in the headmaster's office and listened as Harry explained the events of the last hour. She did not really listen. She was just desparetly trying to find the comfort her mothers embrace usually gave her.

But there was none.

She did not understand how this could be. All year, she had just wished to be home again, be with her parents, and everything she had been through would prove to be a horrible nightmare.

But another part of her knew that it was only too real. The world had gone cold and cruel, the loving embrace of her mother nothing but a hollow gesture, the headmaster's soothing words about 'beeing tricked by Voldemort' meaningless. They didn't mean it. She knew that Harry was angry with her for getting him in so much trouble, the headmaster was worried about one thing or another and her mother was clearly in denial.

She sighed in disgust and tuned out the people around her and tried to just get away from it all. She knew that she was responsible, she and no one else, why wouldn't they just see it and send her home? She didn't want their pitty. She didn't need people who would just tip-toe around her for the rest of her life! She just wanted to be seen for who she was. But that would never happen. She was always the little one. Always the sweet little innocent princess everyone adored and she could never possibly be anything else. Why wouldn't they just shut up? They knew _nothing _about her. They didn't even _try _to understand. They just _knew_ and that was it. Adults were so predictable.

A wave of exhaustion overcame her. She wanted nothing more than to be home in her room and cry all day. 'What's the point of beeing here anyway?' she thought suddenly angry. Her brothers would just hate her even more than they already did, her parents would be dissapointed, the headmaster suspicious of her every move, the teachers and students wary of her presence.

She didn't understand why she had felt so oddly comforted by the words of this strange boy down in the chamber, when the comfort was just washed away the moment Harry took her hand and guided her out of the chamber. It was almost funny. The year before, she would have fainted at the very thought of him taking her hand. Now it was meaningless. He just did what he did because he was Harry 'Heroic' Potter. Beeing nice to the damsel in distress was practically part of the job! And Til! Of course he would be friendly. Couldn't have his secret out right? It meant nothing. Only an idiot would believe they actually cared about _her_, little Ginny Weasley.

'And only and idiot would have given in to Tom Riddle', added a sly voice in her mind and she slumped in her chair.

She shivered and tried to concentrate on her previous train of thoughts. The Chamber. Harry and Til. She clearly had imagined it. That was it. She imagined all that. She didnt really fight of Tom so she could heroically jump on her own back. Ah well. At least she _remembered_, she reminded herself sadly. At least she was free of that horrible diary. But she almost wished it wouldn't be gone. She missed Tom. He had always been a good friend to her. She hastily shook her head as if to shake that thought from her mind. He was a deceiving, lying, mindraping _bastard_! That and so much more. She _hated_ him. But still missed him. Someone to talk to. To tell her secrets to. She wanted a friend.

There was another voice now, but she ignored it. She knew they had gently guided her to another place, but she didn't know where she was now and she didn't care. She just wished they all would just go _away_ and leave her alone to think. She was tucked in a bed and finally the voices abated and left her room to think undisturbed. Why was it so important to talk? Why couldn't she just sort this out by herself? She didn't know the answer, but the questions kept racing each other in her mind. What if she could have ignored the diary? She remembered now that she was wary of it as Tom started to talk to her at first. But soon, her doubts had disapeared and she had wanted nothing more than to talk to him all day. Then, when the memory lapses began, she had wondered, asked Tom countless of questions about it, but hadn't gotten an answer. After she had opened the chamber, she had finally realized it was her who had set the monster free and she had talked to Tom again. She remembered that conversation. It was actually her last coherent memory before everything started to blur...

"_Tom, I think I am the one that opened the Chamber... oh Tom what should I __do? I am so scared... I think I should tell Dumbledore... turn myself in, you kno-" _

_"Don't be silly, Ginny. What do you think they would do with you? You would be in Askaban before you could say 'Harry Potter'! Keep it to yourself, we will sort this out." Tom interrupted, hasty, she remembered. The normally neat script had been an untidy scrawl._

"_But... I have to! Tom, I could_ hurt_ someone! What if I _kill _someone? I have to tell them!"_

_"You can't! I forbid you!"_

_"Why? What is it to you?" _

_She remembered that this was the moment, when it had clicked in her mind. Everything had fallen into place._

"_It is_ you_._ You_ are making me do all this. Aren't you?" she had written with a shaking hand. Instead of a written answer, a horrible, high pitched laughter had echoed through her head and something cold and silky wrapped itself around her mind. She had screamed and thrown the diary as far away from __her as she could, but the intrusion had not stopped. The shadow had seeped into her mind, had broken through her resistance with cruel ease and revealed everything and anything, left nothing to herself and only _HIM_ in her mind. And the last thing she had heard was Tom's silky, cold voice, speaking the words that would be burned into her mind from that moment until the day she died. _

_"You are mine now, Ginevra. Just lay down and let it happen. Nothing can safe you now!"_

She shivered and curled into a ball and cried. She cried for everything that he had done to her, everything he had taken from her and everything she had done. She didn't know how long she cried, but it seemed like a long time before she was aware of the soft touch on her hand.

She was startled for a moment, but then she relaxed and let her tears flow again. It was oddly comforting, to know someone cared about her, without knowing who it was. She frowned and thought about that while she felt the misery leave her body along with her tears. Why was it comforting now? Why felt it _good_ to be touched by a stranger, but not when her mother held her tight in her arms? It was just weird. She slowly opened her eyes and was surprised that the 'stranger' thing was spot on.

Next to her bed sat a small girl of maybe twelve years with almost waist-long black hair and very dark-blue eyes, a look of concern and exhaustion in her face. Her right hand rested on Ginny's hand and her fingertips moved in gentle circles over her skin. She smiled as her eyes met Ginny's and waved with her other hand.

"How are you Ginny?" she asked quietly and leaned a bit forward. The moonlight that filtered into the dark infirmary and shone on the housecrest on the girl's chest. A silver snake, winding around a silver H on a green background. That girl was a Slytherin! Ginny jerked back and looked frantically around for her wand. The girl only smiled sadly and lifted a splintered piece of wood from her lap.

"Looking for this? It broke, remember?" her smile was faint and her voice clearly sounded hurt as she tossed the broken hilt of Ginny's wand lightly on the bed. Ginny scooted slowly away from her and eyed the girl warily.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

The girl sighed and folded her hands in her lap.

"What do you think I am doing here?" she asked in a monotone, tired voice, devoid of the warmth it held earlier.

"How would I know! Who are you anyway? What were you doing to me?" Ginny shouted. She was angry with herself mostly, for being so trusting again. Wasn't that what had brought her into this situation in the first place? She glared at the girl and tried to think of something to buy more time. Slytherins were always up to something. Tom had made that painfully clear. If she only knew what it was _this time_ she could... do nothing. She hung her head in defeat. Her wand was broken, her arm heavily bandaged and her head and jaw still hurt from the impact of the boys fist in the chamber... the boy she had only imagined, she reminded herself fiercely.

The girl seemed to think about her question for a moment and looked intently at her. Finally she sighed and straighted in her chair.

"Fine. I'll go then. I just thought maybe you needed a little company. Obviously, I didn't think of the petty prejudices you Gryffindors sport for fun! But you are a Weasley through and through."

She stooded and strode to the door, while Ginny stared at her incredulously.

"Prejudices?" she shrieked and threw her pillow after her. "_You_ talk about prejudices? You are a bloody _Slytherin_!"

Her anger boiled over now and redirected itself at the girl. How dare she say something like this? The Slytherins were always plotting something to harass the next best muggleborn and here she comes and talks about _Gryffindor prejudices_? The girl had stopped as the pillow bounced of her back and whirled gracefully around.

"I'm a muggleborn, _Weasley,_" she spat. "How could I have prejudices like these jerks? I just wanted to help you, but _you_ decided that, because I'm a Slytherin, I must be evil. You don't even _know _me and yet you hate me. Explain this to me, and I _might_ be forced to take my words back." She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Ginny angrily. Her dark-blue eyes flashed in the darkness of the ward and Ginny recoiled slightly. After a few moments she had to avert her face. The righteous anger behind these deep blue orbs was just too much for her.

Her accusation had hurt almost as much as the denial in her mothers eyes. Not even Draco Malfoy, Prince of Slytherin, managed to get through to her.

'Maybe because what Malfoy says isn't true?' the little voice she easily identified as her concience teased. Yeah, that's probably it, she admitted to herself. What the girl said was true. She had prejudices against Slytherins. But it was not like they didn't deserve it! Still, she felt guilty. This girl had sat with her out of concern, breaking the school rules just to offer a little comfort. She reluctantly looked up.

The girl still glared at her angrily and slightly narrowed her eyes for a moment when their eyes met again. Ginny swallowed and looked down again.

"I'm sorry." she managed to choke out quietly. „I.. shouldn't have snapped at you but..." her voice trailed of and she shook her head. She didn't have the strength to fight now. She felt so hollow and fragile and terribly alone. She squinted her eyes shut as tears threatened to fall again and she pressed her hand against her temple.

"It's allright", the Slytherin said in a soothing voice and returned to her chair at Ginny's bedsie. "I know you didn't mean it. I'm sorry I snapped at you too. I had a very long day. I guess I'm a bit riled up myself." she sighed and looked at her hands. „Look, I know this isn't easy for you Ginny. I just wanted to tell you that you are not alone. I understand what you are feeling."

The Slytherin-girl smiled slightly at her and gently laid a hand on the younger girls arm. Ginny felt like crying again, but she was too confused to think about it. Just who _was_ this girl? She voiced her question and the girl looked chargrined.

"I'm sorry, where are my manners ... I am Jenna Masterson. Nice to meet you." she answered a little insecure.

Ginny returned a teary smile. "Ginny Weasley."

The girl flipped her long hair back over her shoulder and nodded sagely. "I know," she grinned.

The last word echoed in Ginny's skull like bell.

_... I know..._

_... understand what you are feeling..._

_... I know..._

_... know this isn't easy for you..._

_... I know..._

_... just wanted to help you..._

_... I know..._

_... thought you needed a little company..._

_... **I know**..._

She vigorously shook her head and stared horrified at the still grinning girl. "W..what..? How mu-... how do you know me?" she stuttered out in a barely civil tone. Jenna seemed to pick up on it and sighed.

"I have my sources, just like every Slytherin. But I should go. You need rest. Good night, Ginny." She stood and gave her a sad smile before quietly leaving the hospital wing.

_'Great work, Ginny. The _one_ person who thinks enough of you to keep you company and you scare her away.' _the little Voice in her head taunted.

Suddenly she felt exhausted and weary. She buried her head in her arms and shut her eyes.

_... you are mine..._

_... cant resist me forever..._

_... you are mine..._

_... eerie laughter, ecoing through her mind..._

Her eyes flew wide open. It would be a very long night.

* * *

The first morning light found Ginny wide awake in her bed in the hospital wing, her eyes bloodshot and teary. She stared into nothing, rocking herself back and forth in her curled up position and quietly hummed a lullaby her mother used to sing to her when she was sacred. She hadn't gotten a minute of sleep – Tom hadn't allowed her to sleep. Whenever her mind settled down, his words and laughter rang through her mind. So, Ginny tried desparetly to focus on something else, something _happy_, but nothing had come to mind and her tiredness didn't help a bit.

The door to the ward opened and Ginny heard light steps aproaching. "Ginny?" Jenna's tentative voice called into the ward. As she drew closer, Ginny heard her gasp in shock.

"Oh Ginny..." she whispered, "what have you done to yourself..."

"Can't sleep... Tom 's here..." came Ginny's hoarse answer as Jenna sat on the bed and took her hand.

"That's what I feared. An experience like this doesn't just disappear..."

The door to Madam Pomfrey's office opened and the school nurse bustled into the ward with a breakfast tray in her arms.

"There we go, Miss Weasley, break-" she interrupted herself when she spotted Jenna at the bedside.

"Miss Masterson! WHAT do you think you are doing here? Miss Weasley needs rest and not pointless idle gossip! Now move!"

The nurse shoved Jenna briskly aside and ran her wand over Ginny. She frowned and repeated the process, then put her hands on her hips.

"Miss Weasley, what part of 'you need rest' didn't you understand?"

Ginny just whimpered and hugged her knees. The stern nurse' expression softened and she lightly touched her head.

"Did you sleep at all, Miss Weasley?" she asked softly while rearranging the twisted and sweat-soaked blankets. Ginny minutly shook her head and continued to hum. A heavy sigh Pomfrey grabbed a vial with a thickish purple potion in it, pulled the stopper and placed it against Ginnys lips.

"And swallow!" she commanded sternly. Ginny complied without real thought towards it, just hoping all that noise would stop so she could concentrate on her song. Her thoughts turned sluggish quickly and her eyes fluttered close as she drifted of into a dreamless sleep.

**A/N:** _Not happy with it, not at all. Likely to be revised, but really, I couldn't really justify anymore delay. 2 years is absurd enough, dontcha think? And __yes, OC heavy. As it would have been had Rowling told us just HOW Ginny recovered from this. Aside from the Twins and her dad, no one would have helped her. Dont worry, they are not going to take over the story. Harry is the hero and will always be. He just isn't alone anymore._


End file.
